The present invention relates to benefit denial systems and methods of use and, more particularly, to benefit denial systems for securing an asset within a container and methods of use.
In order to make a shopping experience more enjoyable, assets may be displayed for sale or rental in a manner in which they are they are available to a potential customer to handle and examine. For example, potential customers may handle the asset to determine whether to buy or rent the item. Providing a customer with an opportunity to handle an asset before purchasing it is often referred to as a “live sale.”
One environment in which a live sale is particularly desirable is in connection with the sale or rental of storage media, such as, for example, digital versatile discs (“DVDs”), compact discs (“CDs”), and video games. Storage media is typically displayed in a storage container that includes a cover portion and a base portion that is hingedly coupled to the cover portion. The storage media to be secured is placed in the container, and the cover portion is mated with the base portion to secure the asset within the container. Since many potential customers may handle these storage containers, however, it is necessary to provide a locking mechanism to deter potential thieves from stealing the storage medium.
Current locking mechanisms include, for example, locking mechanisms that interact with a container such that a potential thief is prevented from opening the container and removing the asset stored therein. Examples of such locking mechanisms are described, for example, in Lax et al. U.S. patent publication No. US 2002/0023853, published Feb. 28, 2002 and Lax U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,347, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. Even with these mechanisms, however, a thief may still run out of a retail or rental establishment with the locking mechanism still attached to the container, and may find it worthwhile to expend the substantial effort required to break open the locked container.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide benefit denial systems for securing an asset within a container and methods of use.